


i'll take the road with all the stakes

by platinum_firebird



Category: Starlight Brigade - TWRP ft. Dan Avidan (Music Video)
Genre: Character Development, Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:27:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28180146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/platinum_firebird/pseuds/platinum_firebird
Summary: Strive realises, after the war, that he has to make a decision about what he's going to do next; about where he's going to fit in this new world.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	i'll take the road with all the stakes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [merriman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/merriman/gifts).



> This is such a cool video! The minute I saw it I also wanted an entire series! (The video is [here](https://youtu.be/J9Q3i5w6-Ug) if you haven't seen it!)
> 
> I have used the band's names for the characters, though I haven't used their personalities as far as I know. The space station was based on [this design](https://global-uploads.webflow.com/5d26c3e88836af2744ecb9c3/5d26c3e88836afd30aecbc56_ArtistRenderingSpaceStation.jpg).
> 
> Hope you enjoy, and Happy Yuletide!

They come upon the small structure just after daybreak, when the chill of the long night is still lingering in the air.

It was a building once; simple and small, but beautifully made, with love and care etched into each beam and joist. Now the roof has caved in, the rotting wood no longer able to support the weight of the slate tiles, and nature has started to reclaim it for her own. Great swathes of unchecked, wild plant life were once the garden, and vines and climbing plants have crept up the walls and in through the windows and doors, bedecking the house in stem and branch and leaf.

They are all silent as Brian lays a hand against one of the few bare patches of wood. His expression is distant; his eyes seem to see something other than the tangled, overgrown mess in front of them.

There’s no need to ask if this is the building they’ve been looking for - the place Brian used to call home.

Eventually, unable to bear the silence, Strive leans over and asks, “Should we give him some time alone?”

“Maybe that would be for the best,” Sung says, and the three of them retreat a little distance.

Strive knows Kawango used to be very different. It’s still beautiful - all endless towering mountain ranges interspersed with rolling, gently undulating grassy plains - but the beauty is marred here and there by abandoned, mouldering ruins. Just like on his own homeworld, the loss of their starlight prompted a crisis that engulfed the entire planet. While both his people and Brian’s experienced poverty and famine, here they added endless bloody infighting and small-scale wars to an already grim picture.

Pushing away the dark memories of his own world, Strive hopped over a fallen beam, making his way into one of the long-abandoned buildings. _The Starlight Brigade started to make things right_ , he told himself. It was in no way a lie, which made him feel slightly better.

There was little of interest in any of the tumbledown structures. Mouldering carpets and wall-hangings abounded, along with half-rotten furniture and miscellaneous odds and ends that were too weathered by time to have value or use any more. Brian’s homeworld had suffered the deprivation of it’s stars for much longer than his own, and that time had taken it’s toll.

Strive wasn’t sure he himself would have wanted to see his home again if all that was left behind was a rotting, silent ruin (his own home was fine. Was waiting for him, in fact. Which was part of the problem, of course). But it seemed to give Brian some comfort; when Strive found him again he was standing alone at the edge of the complex, looking out at the mountains that rose to mist-shadowed peaks all around the valley. They stood in silence for a moment before Strive asked, “Are you…”

“I am well,” Brian said, “And I can make this place beautiful again, as it once was.”

Strive opened his mouth, but found the words caught in his throat. His father had said almost exactly the same thing, after they’d restored the starlight to Oaisma’s sky - and he’d looked at Strive with such hope, as though he expected his son to be by his side, through it all. As though he couldn’t imagine anything else.

But then Strive had left for the second time.

“How is it going? The restoration?” he asked, to distract himself.

“It’s going well,” Brian said, “It’s harder than some of them expected - I think they thought regaining our power source would make everything as simple as turning on a switch. But of course, a machine with power is just as useless as a machine without power, if you don’t know how to work it.”

“Maybe not _quite_ as useless,” Strive countered, “At least with a powered machine you can use it, if you work out how. A machine without power is just a hunk of scrap metal.” He knew that well, of course - his childhood memories, after the stars were stolen, were littered with the hulking carcasses of now-silent machines that had once blazed with life.

Strive jumped as a hand clapped him on the back. “That’s why we keep you around, Strive,” Sung’s voice said from behind him. “We need your boundless optimisim.” He didn’t give Strive a moment to reply before saying, “Well, Brian, I’m counting this mission as a success. Are you sure your people will be alright here alone?”

“We will,” Brian confirmed.

“Then I suppose we’d best let you get on with it.” He squeezed Strive’s shoulder and said, “Back to Arcadia, then?”

For a moment Strive hesitated, almost tempted to say something else. But then he shook the thought off, nodding as he said, “Yes, back to Arcadia it is.”

/

Arcadia glowed as they slowed upon approach, a bright jewel in the dark night’s sky. Instead of using starlight for power, they used the abundant crystals that grew deep in the heart of their planet; thus, they had been untouched by the Black Ships. While others might’ve used that advantage as an excuse to hide away on their own planet, Arcadians like Sung and Commander Leticia had made it clear they wouldn’t stand for that.

It was the Commander who greeted them as they stepped out of their starships and onto the flight deck of the _Azure Star_ , the battleship that had been their home throughout the fight against the Black Ships. It still felt like home to Strive, though the same could not be said of everyone else.

“Things are progressing well on Kawango, then?” was Leticia’s only question about their mission. When Sung confirmed that everything was going smoothly, she looked pleased for a moment before saying, “Well, then, you’re off-duty. Get some rest, and enjoy the downtime.” She nodded toward the planet below. “Company, dismissed.”

‘Get some rest’ was easier said than done. Alone in his cabin, Strive tossed and turned, unable to drive the images of home from his mind. It felt constantly as if he were being pulled in two different directions; lured away by the bright lights and adventure of the galaxy, even as the longing for home wound itself like a siren’s call around his heart. He couldn’t give up his newfound freedom; but neither did he feel ready to commit to going home.

But maybe he should, just for a while. After all, his father wouldn’t be around forever-

That thought was too painful to bear, and he cut it off with a vicious incision, like the swipe of a scalpel through his mind.

Eventually he gave up on sleep. He pulled a blanket around his shoulders and traipsed up to the observation deck, intending to take advantage of this moment of peace.

To his surprise, when the door pulled aside with a quiet hum, he found the observation deck wasn’t empty. He had thought both Sung and Phobos had gone down to the planet hours ago; but here sat the latter, the lights of Arcadia below reflecting on his black visor as he looked down on the planet. He turned and gave Strive a nod as he came in, then returned his focus to the window.

Strive couldn’t exactly turn around and leave now he’d entered, but part of him wanted to. Phobos wasn’t hostile, but he had never been friendly. Strive could count on one hand the number of times he’d heard him speak; he had never seemed interested in getting to know anyone else, and he followed Sung’s lead at all times, supporting his ideas whenever a debate came up. He worked as part of the team - he’d risked himself to save Strive’s life several times - but he didn’t seem interested in making a personal connection.

Strive steeled himself, and crept up to the observation window on the opposite side of the room to Phobos, peering down through the thick sheet of plexiglass. Below, the lights of Arcadia glowed a thousand different colours, winking and shining in the night. They were passing over the sparkling, dream-like capital city, where streets were strung with neon and towers reached in elegant traceries of silver metal toward the sky. Here and there gardens bloomed, lit up all in white. It looked amazing, beyond beautiful, and for a moment Strive wondered why he’d bothered trying to sleep when this was right on their doorstep. He could still call up a shuttle right now, and go down among the glowing lights; but something kept him tethered to his spot on the observation deck, content to watch rather than experience.

They sat in silence for what felt like hours before Strive ventured to ask, “Did you not want to go down there?” He knew Phobos was from Arcadia - surely there was someone he would’ve liked to see down there, now he was finally back?

Phobos turned to regard him, and Strive felt more and more awkward as he said nothing. Then he said, his vocoder voice warbling slightly, “I prefer not to go down there now.”

It felt clear to Strive that asking _why_ would be insensitive, so they lapsed back into contemplative silence.

Strive’s eyes were finally starting to droop, and he was about to get up and go back to bed when Phobos unexpectedly broke the silence. “We’re receiving a distress signal,” he said, lifting his arm so he could tap at the personal communicator on his wrist.

 _That_ woke Strive right back up again. “From who?” he said, leaping to his feet, the blanket falling forgotten to the floor.

“Meouch,” Phobos said, already making for the door. Strive followed, and together they went down to the command deck.

Leticia was already on the bridge, listening to the rough, growling voice that emerged from the speakers. “-the Fleet by surprise,” Meouch was saying as they entered the room. “We’re holding them off, but most of these ships are civilian vessels. We could really use an assist.”

“We’re on it,” Leticia said. “Can you make it until we get to you?”

“We’ve got it,” Meouch said, his voice strained.

Leticia’s face was grim, but her voice was full of confidence as she said, “Just hold on, Meouch. We’re coming.”

/

Strive turned his fighter in a long arc above the Leonid’s fleet, and saw nothing but the burning red light of jet engines fleeing into the distance. The pirates had turned tail and run, no match for the swift, decisive action of the Starlight Brigade.

Over the comms, Commander Leticia said, “Nice work, everyone. Let’s re-group on the _Azure Star._ ”

Part of Strive didn’t really want to go back to the ship; he always felt best out here, free as a bird out among the stars. Here there were no distractions, no decisions to be made. It was him and the ship and the stars, and he could simply _fly_.

Still, he couldn’t in good conscience ignore a direct order. He turned his fighter back toward home, and slid down to a landing back in the _Azure Star’s_ docking bay.

Back up on the bridge, they met up with Meouch, who didn’t even look that ruffled, considering what he and his fleet had just been through. “They were just pirates, opportunists,” he said, scowling down at the tactical map. “But they’ve punched holes in several of our vessels. We need somewhere to recuperate, out of deep space; we need somewhere to dock.”

“We could talk to Havve,” Sung suggested.

Meouch looked sceptical. “The robots don’t like uninvited guests.”

“They don’t like _guests_ , period,” Commander Leticia put in.

Undeterred, Sung said, “Havve can vouch for us.”

Meouch looked conflicted for a moment, before he said, “Well, it’s worth a try.”

Despite his and Leticia’s sceptisim, Strive felt a little kernel of excitement growing in the pit of his stomach. The only robot he’d ever met was Havve, and barely anyone in the galaxy had been allowed to visit their fabled space station in the Agelon Arm. Peering at the tactical map, he saw that they were very close to the station’s supposed location, which only made his excitement grow.

“I’ll put in the call,” Sung said, stepping with his usual confidence toward the comms unit.

They all fell silent to listen to Sung make the call. Someone picked up on the other end, a series of mechanic buzzes, shrills and warbles indicating it was one of the robots - or Synthetic Advanced Intelligences, as they preferred to be called. When they were around, most people called them SAI’s for short.

A moment of waiting preceded the more familiar tones of Havve coming on the line - and a long moment of silence followed Sung’s request. Then Havve trilled something, and Sung sighed as he was quite obviously put on hold. “He says he has to ‘interface with the Collective,” he said. “You may as well all go get something to eat; I expect this will take a while.”

/

“This is unprecedented,” Sung’s voice said over the intercomm.

The smile on Strive’s face was wide enough to hurt. He dipped his fighter in a quick barrel roll, laughing as Meouch’s voice said, “Careful, kid,” over the comm.

Ahead of them, emerging from behind the small blue-purple planet it orbited, was the mysterious and famous Helix Station. Shaped after it’s name, the station’s spiralling arms wrapped around a long central core, with trusses attaching the two. Space docks formed the entirety of the upper half of the central core, and, by timing their approach with the rotation of the station and navigating carefully in through the trusses, all of the damaged vessels were able to dock, one after another.

Strive swooped in wide arcs around the station, ostensibly to protect against a return of the pirates; but in truth, he just wanted to fly, and to marvel at the station that spun in slow, majestic rotations below. So few organics had ever been allowed to come this close, let alone step onto the station - but in just under an hour, Strive would be there. _This is what I left home for_ , he thought to himself, studiously ignoring the sliver of guilt that came along with the thought.

When they finally landed in the station’s spacious hangar bay, Havve was waiting there to greet them. It was good to see the odd, rambunctious robot again, but Strive was distracted by the space station itself. It was all clean, straight lines and simple, functional design, something about its structure so alien compared to the ships and planets he’d seen before. Havve led them on a winding route through the station’s halls, and Strive gave up concentrating on the meaning of his whistles and beeps, instead taking in the strange and magnificent architecture all around him.

Sung’s words finally brought his attention back to the discussion. “-need repairs. They need somewhere new to settle.”

Before Havve could reply, Meouch sighed heavily. “Sung, we’ve been looking for a new planet for years. If we haven’t found one by now…”

“There are hundreds of thousands of planets in this galaxy alone,” Sung countered. Then his gaze returned to Havve, a shrewd look in his eye. “And I know the Collective has been scanning several uncharted regions of space.”

Havve looked put out, as much as a robot could. _< How do you know that?> _he asked.

“I have my sources.”

Havve let out a squawk of static that somehow managed to sound like a grumble. _< Very well. Yes, we have been performing long-range scans.>_

“There,” Sung said, “Maybe they’ve found a planet where the Leonids could re-settle.”

Though he looked dubious, Meouch said, “Worth a shot, I suppose.” His eyes slid sideways to Havve. “That is, if the Collective will allow us to look at their scans.”

After a moment of robotic whirring, Havve said, _< I will have to interface with the Collective>._

/

There weren’t really facilities for organics on the station; the robots didn’t sleep, and they had no need of food and water. This meant that when midnight station time rolled around, everyone else had already retreated to the _Azure Star_ in search of a meal or their bed, leaving Strive alone in the expansive room the robots called the ‘observation deck’. The name was a little misleading, from Strive’s point of view. In this room the robots were able to plug themselves in to systems that linked them up to photoreceptors on the outer hull of the station, and through them observe the space around the station, much like how an organic being would use a window. Of course, this meant that to Strive, the room was nothing more than a long, narrow corridor lined with booths on one side, none of which he could make any use of.

_< Windows are a structural weakness> _Havve had told him, when he’d expressed his disappointment. _< This design is much more practical, and safer for the station’s inhabitants>_

Strive had been tempted to point out that it was perfectly possible for the SAIs to survive in vacuum, but something told him that would be insensitive. “I suppose that makes sense,” he’d said, unable to keep the grumble out of his voice.

 _< Let me get you something> _Havve had said; then he’d gone away, and as yet had not returned.

Not many robots seemed to use the observation deck; Strive had been alone in here since they’d entered. He toyed absently with the little light-ball he kept in his pocket, clicking it once to make it glow with a glittering blue iridescence. When he threw it up, it would float in place for a few seconds, before falling back down into his hand.

Loud, _thunking_ metallic footsteps announced Havve’s return. He carried with him something that looked like a tablet screen of some kind, and when he came over and hooked it up to one of the observation machines, Strive realised instantly what it was for. He looked over Havve’s shoulder as he clicked it on, and sure enough, an image appeared on screen, showing the view through the photoreceptors outside. “This is awesome,” he said, leaning over the screen as Havve stepped aside to make way for him.

 _< I had noticed you enjoy observing celestial features> _Havve said. _< I have heard organics once engaged in a profession called ‘prospecting’. This might be a suitable occupation for you>_

That, Strive reflected, was something refreshing about Havve; he never beat around the bush. “Prospecting?” he asked, still staring at the screen. Half of it was taken up with a huge blanket of stars, glowing against the dark background of space; the other was dominated by the blue-purple sphere of the planet Helix Station orbited.

_< Initial scans would chart systems and highlight planets that seemed promising as prospects for either colonisation or the discovery of new life forms; prospectors would explore those planets, to confirm or disprove the scans>_

Strive felt a knot of excitement grow in his belly. To explore new systems - to step onto a new world every time he landed his spaceship - the thought was alluring, almost intoxicating. “And you think I could use your scan data to do it?”

Havve nods. _< If the Collective should allow it. They have come to the decision that expansion is required; we will be sending forth our own prospectors to search for suitable sites. We prefer to live in orbital stations; the only requirement we have is that our anchor planet needs a strong enough gravitational pull to keep our installations in a stable orbit. As you can see> _he gestured toward the blue-purple planet _< these worlds do not need to be habitable to organic species. We would not be competing for resources>_

“Then it would be a good partnership,” Strive said, his excitement mounting. “And we might find more species out there, to befriend and learn from.”

Havve made a face. _< Or who might pose a threat>_

Strive’s mood soured a little as he came back down to reality with a bump. “Or that, I suppose.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes before Strive glanced sideways at Havve. “Can I ask you a question?”

_< Yes>_

“I know you don’t like to tell people what it is, and I’m not asking, but - your machines and stations don’t use starlight for power, right?”

Havve’s stiff expression somehow conveyed a dubious look, but he said only, _< Yes>_

“So - if you don’t mind me asking - why did you join the fight against the Black Ships?”

Havve tilted his head. _< We calculated that their hostile nature had a high likelihood of causing a threat to our civilisation>_

Strive blinked. “It’s that simple?”

 _< Their pattern of behaviour suggested they would attempt to steal the power sources of every sentient species in this sector. Our power source is… very precious to us> _Havve said carefully. _< We could not allow them to take it. Tactically it is more logical to fight with allies than alone; thus, we joined the Starlight Brigade>_

“Sometimes using simple logic to make a decision seems so easy,” Strive said, staring pensively down at the viewscreen. The idea of becoming a prospector was tantalising, like a bright star shining in the heavens above; but always in the back of his mind were the memories of home, and the knowledge that people were waiting for him there. Now the feeling of being pulled in two directions was even stronger. Logically, he would be able to do more sure, concrete good on his own world; but his heart longed for the freedom of space.

A tone sounded from Havve, and after a second he said _< The Collective have reached their decision. They will allow outside use of their scan data>_

Strive straightened, grinning. “Great! So does that mean we can start looking for a suitable new planet for the Leonids?”

Havve gave him a confused look. _< We have already found several possible candidates. It only takes a few minutes to scan the database>_

Strive shook his head, laughing. “I should have expected that answer.”

/

“Pulling out of jump space,” Sung’s voice said, “Prepare for realspace reversion.”

“And get a load of _that_ ,” Meouch said, his voice nearly a growl of satisfaction, “We definitely saved the best til last!”

Strive grinned as they all pulled into orbit around the new planet. They had spent the last four weeks surveying and exploring the planets that the scan data had highlighted as potential new homes for the Leonids - prospecting, as Havve called it. The work was just as good a fit for Strive as Havve had thought it would be - and for now, Strive was focusing on that and nothing else.

The planet below them was their last stop, and supposedly their best prospect. From space it looked good - patterned with wide blue oceans and vast light green landmasses, the scans showed that the land around the equator spread in huge expanses of flat, open savannah. It was much like the Leonid’s lost homeworld, and as they came down to a landing on the largest continent, Meouch waxed lyrical on how much it reminded him of his birthplace. “The light is almost the same,” he said, as they climbed down from their cockpits. He went to one knee and brushed his hand through the long grass that swayed around their feet in the breeze. “The grass is almost the same colour.”

Strive shaded his eyes, staring out toward the far-distant horizon. “It’s beautiful,” he said quietly.

Meouch placed his palm flat to the ground. “This is the place.”

“We still haven’t run the scans,” Sung said, his tone lightly chiding.

“I don’t need scans. I know.”

“Well, I’ll still run them, just in case.”

As Sung climbed back up into his cockpit to collect his equipment, Strive crouched down by Meouch, running his hand through the grass too. “It’s really just like your old planet, huh?” he asked softly.

“It’s like being back on Aluvia,” Meouch said, his voice dreamy. “But here, it’s natural.”

Strive nodded slowly. The Leonid’s homeworld, Aluvia, had been ecologically unstable; the atmosphere, damaged by long years of industry, had required huge atmospheric generators and stabilisers to continue to support life. With the starlight gone, those machines shut down, rendering Aluvia uninhabitable. The citizens of the Fleet were the lucky survivors - those who had managed to get to a ship.

“It’s a new start,” Strive said.

“Yes. We won’t make the same mistakes here.” Meouch straightened, and Strive could see the light in his eyes as he looked at the rolling plains that surrounded them. He could tell that Meouch already saw their settlements in his mind’s eye, was already planning how they’d live in concert with the land, rather than taking from it. How they would be able to live with security and peace.

And he, Strive realised, had helped find that for him. For his people. He had helped give these people a second chance.

_How many more people could find a new home with that data the Collective are sharing with us? And how many more species might we be able to find?_

He realised, then, that he had the answer to his problem. He knew in which direction he wished to go.

He barely heard Meouch say he was going off for a run. Instead, as his friend disappeared into the distance, he went back to Sung, who was setting up their scanning equipment on a small rise a hundred metres away. “Sung,” he said, his voice quiet, “When we’re finished here, you’re going to be part of the exploratory team, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Sung said, his tone cheery, his attention focused on the machine in front of him.

Lingering doubts made Strive ask, “Do you never…do you think about going home? About staying with your family?”

Sung paused for a moment to look up at him. “Always,” he said. “After we defeated the Black Ships? I almost left then. When we visited Arcadia a few weeks ago? Then too.”

Strive frowned. “So what made you leave again?”

“My own dastardly self-interest,” Sung said, winking. Strive expected him to follow it up with another reason, but he didn’t; just smiled up at him and said kindly, “It’s not a crime to crave a bit of adventure, Strive. The galaxy would be a very boring place if we were all content to stay at home by the fire.”

“But if I stayed… I might be able to help my people rebuild.”

“Maybe so,” Sung allowed, “But only you can decide if that’s the path you want to take. The only person who knows what you truly want is you.”

“I want to join the exploratory team,” Strive said instantly.

“Then what are you worried about?”

“That… that it might be the wrong thing to want,” Strive said quietly.

“I can tell you from experience,” Sung said, “that making yourself miserable in the name of duty does no one any good.” He gave Strive a sympathetic expression. “I think your family will understand.”

Sung had, like always, guessed at the heart of the matter, and struck true. “Then… I definitely want to join the exploratory team,” Strive said, and was rewarded with a wide smile from Sung. “But… I want to visit home first.”

“Then you should.” Sung gave him a mischievous grin. “But don’t take too long. We won’t hang about waiting for you!”

“Like hell you won’t,” Strive muttered, rolling his eyes.

/

Pulling out of jump space and into orbit around Oaisma was strange. The ring of hulking, destroyed starships he remembered was all but gone, with smaller salvage vessels flashing greetings at him as he soared past. Setting foot on his homeworld again was even more surreal. The sky full of stars was just like the fuzzy, warm memories of his childhood - and everyone was _happy_. The fog of misery and unending sorrow had lifted from the people, and they smiled and called greetings as he walked through town. The town itself had changed, too; the abandoned machines were all working once more, and the bright lamps that hung along each street, once dark and sad without power, now blazed with light, glowing like stars above his head as he made his way home.

Home had changed, but only a little. Strive stopped as he rounded the bend toward it, struck motionless by the sight. Their house was still the same lumpy cone shape; the same warm, soft light emanated from the windows. From the end of the street it looked unchanged; it was only once he stood outside the door that he noticed the soft hum of something powered.

When he knocked, he found his heart leapt to his mouth. Shuffling sounded inside; and then the door opened, and there was his father. They both stood stock still for a second; then his father opened his arms, and Strive leapt forward into them. They stayed there like that for several minutes, not speaking, just hugging, tighter than Strive had ever been hugged. Then his father let him go and stepped back, wiping his eyes on his sleeve as he said, “Come inside.”

He had sent a message ahead, of course, to let his father know he was coming. “I tidied up your room a bit,” his father said, opening the door for him. “Your cousin Vivia has been staying up here, but she’s gone home for the week.” He winked. “I did make her change the sheets for you before she left.”

A spike of guilt pierced Strive’s heart. “She’s been here looking after you,” he said. _Because I haven’t._

His father waved a hand. “Oh, that’s been no trouble for her, let me tell you.” He leant in and said conspiratorially, “She likes a young man in town, and by all accounts he seems to like her back. Being up here means she can meet him without her parents interfering.”

Strive laughed, both at the simple, sweet story, and the tone of his father’s voice. It seemed to say ‘I’m happy’ and ‘don’t worry’ all at once. Strive thought that maybe, just maybe, it meant his father didn’t resent the fact that his son spent all his time away from home.

They sat down for a meal together, and in the evening they went out onto the porch to watch the sky. It reminded Strive of his childhood, when they’d walked up the hills together to look at the hundreds and hundreds of stars. It reminded him of how those stars had vanished, too - and how he’d been back here only once since defeating the Black Ships.

“Father, I’ve… there’s a team being formed. A team of explorers, to go and visit other planets. To see what they can find out there.” He gestured toward the sky.

“Sounds like a good opportunity,” his father said. When Strive looked at him, his old man was grinning around his drink. “I hope you didn’t turn it down.”

Strive swallowed. “I didn’t,” he said, “But- I still could. I could still come home-”

His father held up a hand. “You didn’t defeat those damn star-stealers for nothing, kiddo,” he said. His voice sounded a little choked as he said, “You did it so you could chase your dreams.” He coughed and added, “Besides, I’m not _that_ old. I don’t need you back here looking after the farm just yet.”

Strive was teary-eyed too, he found. “You mean it?”

His father reached out and squeezed his shoulder. “I tried to get you to stop flying before, and look who was right then,” he said, a wide smile on his face. “I figure you got to follow the path to the end, kid. Keep flying until you don’t want to fly no more.” He patted Strive’s shoulder. “Whatever you do, home will always be waiting.”

His voice was thick as Strive said, “Thanks, Dad.”

His father laughed. “In return, you can name one of those new planets after me. Deal?”

Strive held out his hand. “Deal.”

They shook on it, and their laughter sparkled bright and joyous in the blue serenity of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
